Collared
by Its Obvious u guys
Summary: How Hige got his Collar and what happened to him after. First Wolf's Rain Fic! Please tell me what you think!
1. Chapter 1

_**Ok this is my first non-crossover Wolf's Rain Fic which was just a random idea I had when I was in a very writing-wolf's-rain mood, so please be nice! Also Hige is a little OOC, but that's mainly because he's still a little kid and because he hasn't got his collar yet so he still has his original memories. Hope you enjoy!**_

_**Collared**_

I looked across the familiar landscape that dwarfed my tiny sandy brown form. My eyes taking in every bit of my beautiful surroundings: Rolling green hills, with a stream running in between them, and mountains barely visible in the distant blue horizon, rabbits jumping through the grass occasionally, and flowers swaying in the wind. The day was particularly sunny, and the sky was bright blue and it is what I would and could only describe it as "perfect".

I didn't care that was the only pup in the pack. I was me: a well-meaning heart, curiosity, imagination, carefree, a fragile mind that hasn't experienced the big bad cruel world yet.

But I wanted to experience the big bad world.

With an excitement yelp I leapt to my paws, my tongue lolling out of my half open mouth.

_I wanna explore! I wanna see those mountains and what's on the other side! I wanna be a grown up, cause then I'll be bigger than everyone else just like Daddy is!_

Barking like an exited puppy I began my favorite game: tail chasing.

I crouched giving my tail a murderous glare, I growled slightly.

_Not getting away this time!_ Using my tiny claws I bounded forward, the exquisite landscape turning into blurs as I twisted in tighter circle, my tail was tauntingly close to my face

_I will get it this time! Your mine Tail! _

I was starting to go cross eyed as the fluffy brown tip of my tail drew closer.

_This time! THIS TIME! __**THIS TIME!**_

_Ow._

With a little thud I landed face first on the lush green grass.

"Nice"

I looked up to see my older brother standing behind me his dark brown fur almost blending in perfectly with the trunks of the trees that lined the edge of the forest.

In a flash I was winding myself around his legs, making exited yipping noises, my tail wagging so fast it was beginning to blur.

"Was it really? It was really fun! Tail chasing is the best! I love chasing my tail! Do you like chasing your tail? Did you see how close I was that time?" I yipped, speaking almost as fast as my tail was wagging.

"Yeah you were **so** close Hige" he said flicking his muzzle into my side, making me fall backwards. I jumped up ready to launch myself into my best-fighting-wolf-in-the-world fight mode when I saw tha he was gone.

"Hey wait for me!" I howled as I sprinted through the shade of the trees running as fast as my little legs would allow.

Quickly the trees began to thin and I was at the bottom of the slope.

My slope.

I increased my pace, tongue lolling freely out of my open mouth, the soft pads on the bottom of my paws stinging slightly as they hit the hard earth, the long grass towered over me completely obscuring my vision, but my sensitive nose could easily tell the way.

_I wish I wasn't as small; no one else is so small that they could get lost in the grass._

After a minute or two of sniffing, to find the trail, I burst from the long rippling grass like a bullet, and into the meadow where my small, but close knit, pack of around 10 wolves lay happily on the soft sweet smelling grass.

Being the only pup in the pack I suppose I was slightly spoilt; most of the adult raised their heads as I approached, a few of them making yipping noises at my arrival, but, being me, I zipped past them, and pounced straight onto my unsuspecting mother's honey colored tail.

She let out a loud yelp as my little fangs dug into her tail, but her eyes softened as she saw me, hanging in mid from my mouth, that was clamped around her tail.

"Oh, Hige." She sighed, as I dropped back onto the ground, and darted closer to her, snugging closer into her chest, burying my face into her velvet-soft fur

"Momma," I began.

"No, Hige." She said softly.

"But I'm hungry Momma" I argued.

"Hige you just ate," momma said exasperated "You can't still be hungry!"

"Plweeeaaase!" I rolled over looking at her upside down. Her unconvinced eyes stared back at me.

"Put I am!" I whined stubbornly, but Momma was the one whom I got my stubbornness from, when she had decided something, she wouldn't change her mind, and she had decided that I wasn't getting any more food. Even though I blatantly needed some, it had been at least an hour and I should most defiantly be entitled to food!  
With a sigh I sat up, I guess I was just going to have to catch some dinner.

I sniffed.

My nose was stronger than everyone else's.

"Momma what's that smell?"

"Hige… There's no smell" she said, concerned.

I turned my head back towards the horizon; the sun was beginning to set, casting wonderful deep colours across the velvet sky. I could defiantly smell something.

My fur started to bristle, my senses on hyper alert.

_I don't like it…_

My instincts were telling me to run away, to flee whatever danger was coming.

"Momma, I'm scarred!" I said as I buried my face in here fur once more, trying to cover the scary and unfamiliar smell, with her warm and relaxing scent.

"Hige?..." Her golden eyes watched me with concern.

Growl's starred in the meadow

I raised my head from my mother's fur.

Bright lights were all over the sky, glowing like embers in the dust.

_Pretty._

I raised my head higher, sniffing the unusual smell:

Cold.

Metallic.

Oil

I turned my head, the rabbits were taking refuge in their warrens, and flocks of birds took to the sky, shrieking warning calls as they went.

Anxiety overcame curiosity.

I buried myself further in my mother's chest, wanting to melt into her fur. I allowed her thumping heartbeat to block out the growls and snarls ripping from my pack mate's throat.

A blinding white light made me snap my head up.

There was something in the sky.

Something moving.

A loud ringing sound stung my ears drums. I let out a terrified whimper.

The older wolves shuffled closer together, forming a tight circle.

The sandy brown face of my father appeared.

"Where's Hige?" He asked calmly, the kind of voice he used when trying to get us to keep calm in a dangerous situation. That scarred me more than the exotic smell and the bright lights.

"He's here." My mother said, pointing my out my little body, wrapped in my mother's fur.

"Go," He whispered.

Something exploded nearby, my eyes widened as something dropped from the sky, it was like a metal bird, but as it landed its side opened, and some things started coming out.

In an instant, I had been scoped up my mother was running through the darkness, with me clutched in her jaws, the wind whipping through my fur. Flashes eliminated the trees, loud bangs echoed eerily.

And then, as we reached the rocky tundra, we both froze, my mother mid step, and me frozen in her mouth.

A mixture of howls and screams rose from behind the trees.

"Momma…" I whimpered.

"Humans" She breathed.

Suddenly those "_humans"_ burst from the clearing, within a second we're running again, the darkness was smothering me now gripping me harder than my mother's fangs which were growing tighter with each step.

_**Bang**_

Something whizzed past my head.

What was going on?

I want to go home!

I want to be safe!

Another bang.

Momma stumbled forward, the jolting movement made her bite down, I yelped in pain as her fangs bite hard slicing through the skin on my back and stomach.

_Momma it hurts!_ I wanted to yell, the agonizing, burning started in the gashes, my brain begged me to make the pain stop. I curled myself tighter, my limbs and tail shaking, my ears flat against my head.

The hot metallic taste of blood filled the air.

"Momma?" I nudged her muzzle as she whimpered in pain "Momma what's wrong? Momma we have to get up! Momma?"

The humans were getting closer. My mother's head suddenly snapped up.

"Run, Hige! Run!" she screamed.

My ears flattened at her high pitched yell.

Something whizzed past my face and hit the ground. I squinted through the dark, examining the brightly coloured dart, when another one hit my side.

With a yelp I set off sprinting as fast as I could.

Another dart.

_Ow._

_It hurts._

_Everything is blurred._

_Why?_

I can just make out the rocks, in my haste I stumble.

I can hear the humans behind me.

The whole world is growing slightly fuzzy, and there's three of everything, I try to scramble onto the rocks, but I can't see them.

The sounds are getting closer.

No! I have to keep going.

I pull myself from the dart's nightmarish hallucinations and begin to climb.

Vomit churns in my stomach, my blood feels to hot, and my heart too fast, there's an acidic taste in the back of my throat, my mouths too dry.

Why won't they leave me alone?

With a yelp, I skid to a stop. The rocks in front of me end in a shear drop, which I can't see the bottom of.

I can see the people now.

Laughing at me; the tiny wolf pup, seemingly so fragile and terrified, cornered.

One of them luges for me. In panic I lash out, my tiny teeth clamping down on the humans hands, but my tiny teeth hardly do any damage.

I shock the human screams waving his arm wildly, flinging me sideway.

With a yelp I hit the rocks.

All the wind seems to have left my chest, like my lungs can't function, like they've forgotten how to breathe.

More people.

More pain.

More fear.

_There has to be a way to escape._ I whimper, turning my head wildly looking for a way out. _The caves!_

Of course there's no guarantee that there's a way out at the end, but I have to try.

In panic I fling myself forward, into the cave.

It's dark.

Too dark, as though the darkness is crushing me.

Within minutes I reach the end.

_**No!**_

The cave wall stretches up higher than I can see.

The sounds of humans are coming closer.

_Momma where are you?_ I howl in an attempt to find help.

No reply.

_Climb_, I think _Climb!_

I try to leap up but the wall's too flat, there's nothing to hold onto! My tiny claws scrabble in vein at the rocks, desperate to find a foot hole.

Something grabs me from behind. I try to howl but something rams into my throat, effectively cutting off my windpipe, and making me choke on my own tongue.

A hand grips my neck, and squeezes. The crushing force stops me from drawing breath and I whimpered as I see the pure hate in the human's eyes. What had I done? My head started to throb and my eyes felt like they were going to pop, as a thick band of leather it wrapped around my throat. The sound of my heart drowns out all the dying howls from my pack and the laughs from the humans, it's beating too fast; pumping blood to my already bursting jugular. I feel like I'm burning up. Blood can't pass through my neck, the collar's too tight.

I looked up and black spots grew on the cave ceiling. The pressure in my head was too much; I closed my eyes and went into a dark place from which I would never fully return.

_**Ok so that's it… It was really terrible but please review anyway!**_


	2. Chapter 2

It's cold. They've kept me in the dark so long that I've lost the sense of my eyelids, the constant, never ending blackness had turned me practically blind; but even without my sight I can sense the others.

We sleep like rats, huddled together in the filthy knotted mess of blankets that are strewn across the cold metal floor. My ears seem to have disappeared, leaving nothing behind but a low drone that's been here as long as the blackness. My throat burns, but there's no water that might numb the pain, I haven't seen water for days; I can barely remember it.

_How long have I been here? Have I always been here?_

No, I can remember that once there was grass beneath my paws, but is this a dream? I feel like I should remember something but I can't; I've been completely brainwashed by the silence.

I feel dead inside.

Quiet. Eerily quiet. The drone has stopped.

I try to strain my ears to pick up something, but all they detect is a faint ringing sound.

The doors open.

The light is terrifying.

With moans and whimper all the others huddle closer together away from the light, which we had all given up hope of ever seeing again.

I slowly peak up around the dull matted fur of one of the other wolves.

It hurts. The light hurts. So long our eyes have been in blackness that they've forgotten how to cope with light, the sun seems to scold my eyeballs into nothing.

The white light has warped everything. Before I was blinded by the darkness, but now I'm blinded by the light.

And with the light comes the smell.

My numb nose detects it… but what is it?

I should recognise it, I do remember it, but I don't know what it is.

I have to reach it. It's pulling me towards it.

I have to go.

The scent is so nice, and calming, it seems to pull happy memories from my lifeless brain.

Slowly I pull myself away from the other terrified wolves and haul myself towards the light. My body is so weak and fragile, and my paws scrabble hopelessly on the smooth metal floor.

But that scent, why can't I find it?

Something hits me hard in the side, shoving me backwards towards the rest of the wolves. My pitifully weak body screams in protest, I'm just too weak to take any kind of pain. I recoil into my fellow wolves bodies, burying me stinging eyes into the rough mattered fur.

Suddenly I begin to slide sideways; something's dragging me along with the other wolves, in less than a second we've all been plopped down onto the ground.

Except the ground is different, it's not the cold hard metal from before; the ground is hard but at the same time it's ever so slightly soft and instead of cold, the ground is pleasantly cool. I look down, my eyes finally able to focus, and I can see soft powdery dirt across the floor.

And the sent it's everywhere, the scent I knew, but couldn't quiet remember. Slowly I raise my head and look around.

I'm nowhere near home.

Home. The word makes my mind reel backwards, trying to locate memories… but I can't! Something's getting in the way and whenever I try to see past the mental block searing pain shot through my head. Hastily I blocked it out. _I didn't want this; I didn't want to hurt anymore._

_And the scent hits me again, and I know it:_

_Fresh air._

Simple, ordinary, beautiful fresh air.

Blinking furiously, things in the distance begin to come into focus.

Humans. There are humans here! My instincts start to scream at me:

_Fight or flight? Flight!_

_Run!_

_Run now!_

_There are humans here! _

_Humans means pain!_

_Pain is bad!_

_**Run away from pain!**_

The people started to come towards me; I try to get away but my struggles are feeble and I'm too weak to even think about attacking them.

So I do all that I can; I shrink back into the knot of wolves. It's then that I realise my mistake; I'd assumed that the other wolves had been starving, but I was wrong; a lot of the wolves are already dead: tiny pitiful bodies, of pups that shouldn't have died for years to come.

Those that are left are basically skeletons covered by dull mattered fur; it's obvious that I'm the biggest out of them all. As the humans finally reach us, the other wolves seem to have given up; their hearts are barely beating, while mine pounders in my chest.

I huddle with the others, trembling; I'm going to die…

It's as though I've been dunked into icy water; at first it's terrifying and freezing, but then there's nothing, my body goes numb, _it's all over, why should I struggle? It would be so much easier to just let myself sink…_

Between the other pups whimpers I only catch bits of the humans conversations.

"…Need to be able to survive…"

"…Has to be the strongest one…"

My eyelids droop, everything seems to blur into blackness.

Something closes around the back of my neck, and I'm lifted off the ground, my entire body weight into now resting on my neck, and I'm chocking on my tongue. My eyes roll backwards into my skull as my jaws are pulled apart; a human examines my teeth, I wildly try to bite someone, but in vein.

Without warning my dropped back onto the ground, but then I'm pulled away, metal bars close around me and I flop forward, every limb aching.

Between the bars, I can see the other wolves being shoved back into the van, followed by some humans.

The numbness in my chest, is still settling into me. I don't care about myself any more.

An unmistakable bang echoes from the van, my head shoots up, my ears pricked.

_Gunshots._

And in that moment, I know that the other pups are gone.

And suddenly I'm hit with an almighty feeling of sadness and guilt, which threatens to overwhelm me. All those pups, all those innocent children, all dead.

Those nameless, faceless wolves that I never knew, never spoke to, but who were all there with me…

The pup that had cracked after only one day, and had thrown themself at the wall shrieking and howling for help.

The one that had given me the last of their water the last time we had some, because they knew I had needed it more than them.

The scarily tiny one that had snuggled up next to me when we slept.

I knew nothing about them, the darkness prevented me from seeing them at all, and we were all too weak to attempt to talk to each other. I didn't know how old they were, whether they were male or female or where they'd come from… but I did know that they were now dead.

_I hope I die soon. _


End file.
